Codependent Aspie?
Greetings!
My husband of many years recently diagnosed himself at the suggestion of our couples counselor and with the help of this website.
I decided that most of my problems are because I am codependent.
Recently he has changed his mind and now says he is not Aspie; just some characteristics. He says he is codependent.
I am wondering if that is even possible for an Aspie. Also, can two people be married and both codependent?
I am using Melody Beattie's check list for codepency from Codependent No More.
Does anyone know what I am talking about?
Yes, an aspie can be codependent. After I was in an abusive roommate situation I had fallen into being codependent (My role is to take care of him no matter what it does to me while he does his thesis). I've been working on it and making progress, but have definitely had issues with this. Just identifying what the problem was actually made drastic difference for me.
Also yes. This isn't the standard manner for codependency to appear but is is possible. This tends to occur in cases where both parties have reasons outside their relationship for being prone towards codependency - such as how their family life was when they were growing up. It traditionally tends to be addict/codependent, but it also can be a pair of children of addicts or such.
Thanks for the reply, Tuttle. What is that Tiger gnawing ?
You are correct in saying we both had codependent behavior before we met. Mine was because of a depressed and disconnected father (deceased) and a codependent mother and my husband has an Aspie mother (87 years old)with OCD as a comorbid condition.
I am reading Eric Berne now. Transactional Analysis is the theme.
I think we are living the life scripts of our same sex parents. His Dad (90 years old) was codependent and so was my Mom.
I am just trying to be honest with myself about my past and how it affects my present. My sister says she cannot remember her childhood at all. She was sexually abused by my brother who is five years older. Just an example of how ignoring the past can be devastating.
An Aspie Mother can be a "refrigerator Mom."
Our youngest daughter (27) has Aspie characteristics. She is looking for a job as a Biologist and staying with us at the moment.
I am trying to make some life decisions and still gathering information.
I have learned that Aspies experience the same feelings as NTs but do not know how to express them. I would love some Aspie input on what my husband may be going through at this time.
Thanks
Last edited by TXaspielover on 21 Aug 2011, 7:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
It does get better .
As for what the tiger is gnawing - this is a picture from some tests some people put toughbooks through. I found the picture adorable.
As aspies are rather different, I can't tell you what he's thinking but I can tell you some of my thoughts. Part of what happens for me is that everything is just overwhelming and just putting it all into him is an escape. He is more important than me trying to cope with everything else, and its easier to just take care of him. Also guilt - I have put so much pressure onto him through my aspie traits, he deserves better, so I should take care of him.
Partially its an escape for me, just a very unhealthy one. Partially its needing something to hold on to, something stable, something I don't have to worry about as I worry about everything else, and this going too far and turning into codependence. Partially its thinking that he deserves everything I can do for him because he's had such a hard life, and while I've had problems, I can't say my life has been bad. So why am I mentally unstable and unable to deal with emotions - he deserves my help. Partially its that helping him, the person who I am most affected by the emotions of, drastically helps my mood, so I need to do it constantly. This also isn't actually healthy, but the reduced emotional intelligence of me makes me prone to do this, as I pick up things from him drastically more than anyone else.
You are correct in saying we both had codependent behavior before we met. Mine was because of a depressed and disconnected father (deceased) and a codependent mother and my husband has an Aspie mother (87 years old)with OCD as a comorbid condition.
I am reading Eric Berne now. Transactional Analysis is the theme.
I think we are living the life scripts of our opposite sex parents. His Dad (90 years old) was codependent and so was my Mom.
I am just trying to be honest with myself about my past and how it affects my present. My sister says she cannot remember her childhood at all. She was sexually abused by my brother who is five years older. Just an example of how ignoring the past can be devastating.
An Aspie Mother can be a "refrigerator Mom."
Our youngest daughter (27) has Aspie characteristics. She is looking for a job as a Biologist and staying with us at the moment.
I am trying to make some life decisions and still gathering information.
I have learned that Aspies experience the same feelings as NTs but do not know how to express them. I would love some Aspie input on what my husband may be going through at this time.
Thanks
Your life-story is so similar to mine, that it is actually eerie.
I'm going to have to read more on co-dependency.
_________________
AQ Score: 44/50 Aspie Quiz: 175/200-Aspie 31/200-NT
Judge of your natural character by what you do in your dreams.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Tuttle,
I understand where you are coming from.
Guilt!! !
You say you owe it to him because of your behavior.
IMHO it was his choice to stay with you. If your behavior was that bad he would have left.
Please stop taking responsibility for others feelings. That's so codependent.
I have learned that focus on other people can distract us from our problems.
I have to ask. Is this what we really want to do?
If we ignore the problem it doesn't go away.
If your life seems bad to you, it is bad. It doesn't have to measure up to anyone else's life.
Give yourself some love.
I thank you for the insight into my Aspie husband's thoughts and motivation.
That tiger is adorable!
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